REPORT on supplementary estimates of revenue and expenditure 1/2002 of the European Parliament for the financial year 2002
(2002/2039(BUD))

25 February 2002

Committee on Budgets
Rapporteur: Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg

Procedure : 2002/2039(BUD)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
A5-0056/2002
Texts tabled :
A5-0056/2002
Debates :
Votes :
Texts adopted :

PROCEDURAL PAGE

For the budgetary procedure for the financial year 2002, the Committee on Budgets had appointed Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg rapporteur for sections I, II and IV to VIII, at its meeting of 4 December 2000.

The general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2002 was adopted on 13 December 2001.

The Bureau of Parliament will adopt on 27 February 2002, and according to Rule 183 paragraphs 1 and 6 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the supplementary preliminary draft estimates to Parliament’s budget for the 2002 financial year (2002/2039(BUD)).

The Committee on Budgets considered the supplementary preliminary draft estimates and the draft report at its meeting of 25/26 February 2002.

At the latter meeting it adopted the motion for a resolution unanimously, thus establishing the supplementary draft estimates, on condition that the Bureau of Parliament would take its decision on 27 February 2002 in line with the decision of the Committee on Budgets of 25/26 February 2002.

The following were present for the vote: Terence Wynn, chairman; Reimer Böge, Anne Elisabet Jensen and Francesco Turchi, vice-chairmen; Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, rapporteur; Ioannis Averoff, Herbert Bösch (for Joan Colom i Naval), Jean-Louis Bourlanges (for James E.M. Elles pusuant to Rule 153(2)), Carlos Costa Neves, Gérard M.J. Deprez (for Markus Ferber), Den Dover, Göran Färm, Salvador Garriga Polledo, Neena Gill, Catherine Guy-Quint, Jutta D. Haug, Maria Esther Herranz Garcia (for Edward H.C. McMillan-Scott pusuant to Rule 153(2)), Ian Stewart Hudghton, Constanze Angela Krehl, John Joseph McCartin, Juan Andrés Naranjo Escobar, Guido Podestà, Per Stenmarck, Rijk van Dam (for Michel Raymond), Lousewies van der Laan (for Jan Mulder), Kyösti Tapio Virrankoski and Ralf Walter.

The report was tabled on 25 February 2002.

The deadline for tabling amendments will be indicated in the draft agenda for the relevant part-session.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

European Parliament resolution on supplementary estimates of revenue and expenditure 1/2002 of the European Parliament for the financial year 2002 (2002/2039(BUD))

The European Parliament,

-   having regard to Article 272 of the EC Treaty,

-   having regard to the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, as amended by Regulation (EC, ECSC, EURATOM) No 2779/1998[1], and in particular Article 15 thereof, and as last amended by Regulation (EC, ECSC, EURATOM) No 762/2001[2],

-   having regard to the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2002, as finally adopted on 13 December 2001[3],

-   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999[4],

-   having regard to its resolution of 17 May 2001 on the estimates of revenue and expenditure of the European Parliament for the financial year 2002[5],

-   having regard to Rule 183 and Annex IV of its Rules of Procedure,

-   having regard to the conclusions of the European Council in Laeken (Brussels) of 14 and 15 December 2001 calling a Convention on the Future of Europe,

-   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of xx xxxx 2002 on the financing of the Convention of the future of the Europe Union;

-   having regard to the supplementary preliminary draft estimates adopted by its Bureau on 27 February 2002,

-   having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A5-0056/2002),

A.   whereas the estimated costs of the Convention will be in the region of € 10.5 million, of which an amount of € 6.5 million will be covered directly by the budgets of the participating institutions of the Union, the Member States and the applicant countries,

B.   whereas an amount of € 4.0 million is needed over the period 28 February to 31 December 2002 to cover the specific expenditure of the Convention that cannot be attributed directly to the participating institutions,

C.   whereas Parliament is expected to contribute an amount of € 1.0 million for this purpose and whereas the supplementary preliminary draft estimates propose to make this amount available by reducing Chapter 101 ("Contingency reserve") by that amount and by creating a new Article 372 ("Contribution to the Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union"), from which transfers can be made to pay for the contribution,

D.   whereas on 27 February 2002 its Bureau adopted supplementary preliminary draft estimates 1/2002,

E.   whereas on 25 February 2002 its Committee on Budgets adopted supplementary draft estimates 1/2002 (subject to approval of supplementary preliminary draft estimates 1/2002 by the Bureau on 27 February 2002),

1.   Adopts supplementary estimates 1/2002, as attached to this resolution;

2.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution and the attached supplementary estimates to the Council and the Commission.

  • [1] OJ L 347, 23.12.1998.
  • [2] OJ L 111, 20.04.2001, p. 1.
  • [3] OJ L 29, 31.01.2002.
  • [4] OJ C 172, 18.06.1999, p. 1.
  • [5] Not yet published in OJ.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

On 15 December 2001 the European Council decided to convene a Convention on the future of Europe. The Laeken declaration (point III) states that: "In addition to its Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, the Convention will be composed of 15 representatives of the heads of State or Government of the Member States (one from each Member State), 30 Members of national parliaments (two from each Member State), 16 members of the European Parliament and two Commission representatives".

So far only unofficial texts were received from the Council secretariat on the financing of the Convention. In one of those documents it is stated that: "(…) the probable costs are of the order of € 10.5 million for the 10 months of 2002. Of that total, € 6.5 million can be covered, directly or indirectly, by the participants and the European institutions (Parliament, Commission, Council). Each government and each national Parliament (including those of the candidate States), each observer and each institution will finance the travelling and accommodation expenses of its own participants in plenary meetings, while the institutions will supply the convention with infrastructure and staff which it requires to function smoothly. (…). The balance of € 4 million, forming the Convention's own budget, could be financed by contributions from the three institutions, amounting to 0.1% of their administrative budgets (…).

Following these lines the Parliament will have to contribute € 1 million, the Council € 400,000 and the Commission € 2,600,000.

In addition to its direct contribution to the Fund, Parliament will, like the other two institutions, defray the following costs against its 2002 budget:

-   facilities provided for the Convention's proceedings: meeting rooms, interpretation and translation;

-   the travel and accommodation expenses incurred by its own representatives and the cost of replacing officials seconded to the Convention.

The amount required to cover the above costs has been estimated at between € 2.3 and € 2.8 m on the basis of the probable frequency of meetings (one or two plenary sessions per month) and the probable number of people taking part in the meetings (full and alternate members).

If necessary, appropriate transfer proposals will be submitted during the 2002 financial year.

Consequently, Parliament has to present supplementary estimates to create the budgetary structure for its contribution and to allow for the payment of its contribution.

The Bureau proposes to create a new article in title 3 ("Expenditure resulting from special functions carried out by the institution") of Parliament's budget. The idea is to create within chapter 37 ("Special expenditure of the European Parliament") a new Article 372 ("Contribution to the Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union"). That article should be endowed with the required amount of € 1 million. The amount can be taken from chapter 101 ("Contingency reserve"), which was endowed with an amount of € 9.9 million in the 2002 budget.

The expenditure for 2003 has to be budgeted in the 2003 Estimates of the Parliament.

ANNEX I

ESTIMATES

OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE

CONCERNING

THE SUPPLEMENTARY AND AMENDING BUDGET

SECTION I – PARLIAMENT

2002

STATEMENT OF REVENUE

Contribution of the European Communities to the financing of the expenditure

of the Parliament for the financial year

Heading

2002 appropriations

Supplementary and amending budget No 01/02

New amount

Expenditure

1 035 000 000

0

1 035 000 000

Own resources

61 094 833

0

61 094 833

Contribution due

973 905 167

0

973 905 167

EXPENDITURE

TITLE
CHAPTER
Article
Item

Heading

2002 budget

DAB No 1

New amount

3

EXPENDITURE RESULTING FROM SPECIAL FUNCTIONS CARRIED OUT BY THE INSTITUTION

37

EXPENDITURE RELATING TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

372

Contribution to the Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union

+1 000 000

1 000 000

Total for TITLE 3

129 255 500

+1 000 000

130 255 500

10

OTHER EXPENDITURE

10 1

CONTINGENCY RESERVE

9 900 000

-   1 000 000

8 900 000

Total for TITLE 10

29 523 412

-   1 000 000

28 523 412

Total for SECTION I

1 035 000 000

0

1 035 000 000

TITLE 3

EXPENDITURE RESULTING FROM SPECIAL FUNCTIONS CARRIED OUT BY THE INSTITUTION

CHAPTER 37 – EXPENDITURE RELATING TO CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES

New article

Article 372 – Contribution to the Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union

2002 budget

DAB No 1

New amount

+1 000 000

1 000 000

Remarks

New article

This appropriation is intended to cover the European Parliament's contribution to the Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union, convened by the Laeken European Council of 14 and 15 December 2001.

Interinstitutional Agreement of [DATE] between the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission on the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union.

Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on [DATE], setting up a Fund for the financing of the Convention on the future of the European Union and laying down the financial rules for its management.